How do you thaw frozen mice/rats?

I've decided to switch from live to f/t after my hopper colony started looking sickly and eating eachother. That was fun to witness.. Anyway, I was wondering how everyone here thaws their mice?

I just throw it on top of the tank for a several hours then heat up a cup of hot water and leave the rat in the bag or change it over to a baggie and heat in the water for 1-2 minutes.

I put mine in ziplocs, place them in ambient temp water fo about 1/2 hr, and then in warm water for another 1/2 hour. they usually thaw out with this process. after that i heat them up with blow dryer next to container where i keep the snakes, and that gets them real interested. my balls like them real hot so i blow dry them for about 5 minutes and then i just dangle them in front of them, they usually take it in 1.1 seconds flat.

The last couple of feedings my balls grab and constrict and then go into their hides, I take the rat pups out and heat them up again, they grab constrict and eat on the second offering, WHY? I dont know but they have been doing that the last couple of weeks.

hope this helps.

whatever you do, don't boil the rats!

I drop the mouse directly into a cup of warm water, and then right before I'm about to feed I replace the water again to get the mouse good and warm for the snake. I also think that soaking in water gives the BP some extra hydration, but I've heard some people saying their BPs refuse wet mice.

I pull them out of the freezer and pack a few of them into zip lock bags. I leave them so that they warm to room temp (few hours) and then I put inside a heating pad to warm them up.

Thawing them too fast, in my experience, leads to busted bellies...and that smell makes dog poo smell like roses

i put them in ziplocks and put them in a cup of hot water for 10mins, then pour out that water, and add more hot water for another 5mins. The second time in the hot water gets it warm enough for my snake.

thanks for the advice!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by justin81

i put them in ziplocks and put them in a cup of hot water for 10mins, then pour out that water, and add more hot water for another 5mins. The second time in the hot water gets it warm enough for my snake.

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same here

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Nate

I pull them out of the freezer and pack a few of them into zip lock bags. I leave them so that they warm to room temp (few hours) and then I put inside a heating pad to warm them up.

Thawing them too fast, in my experience, leads to busted bellies...and that smell makes dog poo smell like roses

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but leaving them out for long period also creates bacteria.

I remember the time I had my first, and only, so far..., busted belly experience. It was a MESS! I couldn't pull the mouse away, the BP was still constricting, blood and guts everywhere, horrific smell, snake wallowing in blood and filth, I was pretty much traumatized.

Started using cooler water after that!